


Boom Planet

by Jackdaw816



Category: Doctor Who (2005), Torchwood
Genre: Alternate Universe - Science Fiction, Ambiguous/Open Ending, Dialogue-Only, Mortal Jack Harkness, Multi, just trust me on this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-05
Updated: 2020-04-05
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:20:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 918
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23502250
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jackdaw816/pseuds/Jackdaw816
Summary: A conversation at the end of the world
Relationships: Jack Harkness/Ianto Jones, Ninth Doctor/Rose Tyler, Past Jack Harkness/John Hart
Comments: 2
Kudos: 21





	Boom Planet

“The rexel are rioting again, Doctor.”

“What’s that make it, four times this week?”

“Five. John is handling it. But we’re running low on periocide.” 

“You could have John order more, he has the codes. Although it doesn’t matter much now. Jack, I’m sorry. The last stabilizer just died.” 

“Really?”

“I’m afraid so. There’s not much we can do at this stage.”

“Oh, shit. Ianto’s gonna kill me.”

“You haven’t told him?”

“I want to. But I can’t. You know how he worries. If he knew, it’d just be painful. I don’t want him to look at me any differently.”

“I understand. I haven’t told Rose either. She… we have to spare those we love.”

“I’d give anything to stop this.”

“Even though we caused it.”

“Even though we caused it.” 

“We have about two days.” 

“Two days to live? Or two days to come up with a last-minute, save-it-all plan?”

“To live.”

“No. No way, no fucking way. We are not going to just lie down and take this. What about the stabilizers that the Instit-”

“Too weak.”

“The experimental tech that the Agency was brag-”

“Just an experiment. It won’t work.”

“The-”

“There’s nothing, Jack! The damage is irreversible! We’re all screwed!” 

“You mean the planet’s screwed. But we might not be. What about evacuation?”

“You do remember the tempest?

“There has to be a break in the next two days!”

“No, not clear. A few weak patches, but nothing that any ship of adequate size would be able to get through.”

“What about a smaller ship?”

“Maybe, if the pilot was good enough. But what’s the point of that?”

“We could save a few!”

“While damning the many!”

“The many are dead anyway, and you know it. We can tell the Council, and then they can let everyone know! Some of them will make it!”

“And then they’ll know it was our fault. I do have a reputation to maintain for my fellows. I can’t let that be affected.” 

“So your reputation is worth lives?”

“And if it is?”

“Then you’re a selfish bastard.”

“Fine. We attempt evacuation. But will they listen to us? The Council or the people? You know they dislike my work.”

“Given the number of bombs you’ve been mailed this week, it’s a smidgen more than ‘dislike’”

“So the Council won’t listen to us. And neither would anyone of note.”

“But they don’t need to. Hack the ports. Tell them to get out.”

“...that might work. But I don’t know if I can do it in time.”

“ _ Try _ .”

“Alright. ...I’ve sent the message. But I can’t verify if it’s being received, the system crashed seconds after.”

“It will have to be enough.”

“What about us?”

“What do you mean?”

“We can take a ship. You have one, right?”

“No. Ianto’s sister borrowed it. And she took her kids off-world. Lucky them. So no, no ship.”

“But what about Ianto? What about Rose? What about  _ us _ ?”

“...we stay.”

“So you’ll kill him?”

“It’s not like I want to. But I knew the risks. And so did you. I have killed him, and you have killed her. We took risks, and everyone else will pay for it.”

“I didn’t know you were so eager to die.”

“I’m not eager to die. But I don’t believe that I deserve to live. Not after this.”

“You can’t make up for what you’ve done if you’re dead.”

“Is that your argument? Your justification for why you get to live when you’ve killed them all? That you can somehow redeem the death of an entire planet?”

“I have to believe so.”

“Then you’re a fool.”

“Maybe. But better to be a live fool than a dead hero.”

“You always were a coward.”

“Any day.”

“I’ve been better since I’ve met you, Doctor. Aside from the whole, you know, planet-destroying thing. But I still wish I hadn’t taken this job.”

“You were a coward before. Just like me.”

“And I was much better off.”

“You were dating John.”

“I mean, I didn’t say I was perfect.”

“No,  _ you were dating John _ .”

“I don’t get it.”

“He still likes you right?”

“Not sure why this is relevant, but yes. He’s in love with me. Unrequited, but-”

“Does he have his own ship?”

“Yeah... yeah, he does. He modified it for racing, it’s fast, strong, and definitely not street legal.”

“We don’t need it for streets. Could you convince him to give it up?”

“No. He loves me, but he loves that ship more. 

“Damn.”

“He may pilot it for us though, especially if we tell him it’s us or doomsday.”

“Brilliant. How many can it fit?”

“Besides John? Two.”

“He can’t take more?”

“If the tempest was clear, probably. But if he’s flying through, the extra weight would be too dangerous.”

“Fine. Then obviously, we should go.”

“No.”

“What? You don’t want to escape?”

“I thought we’d been over this. I don’t deserve an escape. I’m sending Ianto. And if you love Rose, you’ll send her too.”

“Are you saying I don’t love her?”

“I’m saying that you love yourself more.”

“You’re cruel.”

“Maybe so. I’m going to find John, and then I’m going to get Ianto. I can’t stop you from going, but you’d better decide sooner rather than later. The further away the ship is when the planet goes, the safer it’ll be.”

“Jack, wait.”

“Yes?”

“I want you to know that I don’t regret it.”

“I know you don’t, Doctor. And that’s why this was inevitable.”


End file.
